The University of Michigan was recently embroiled in controversy involving its Black Student Union, which issued seven racial demands and an ultimatum with threats of “physical action” if the university did not meet their demands. University President Mary Sue Coleman’s conciliatory handling of the situation left much to be desired, and the backlash she created likely precipitated the strategic announcement on Friday of her replacement. This is an excellent opportunity to reflect on her legacy.

Ms. Coleman will be stepping down as president when her contract expires this July. She has been praised for her leadership of the state’s most prestigious University over the past decade, especially through a steep recession and significant cuts in state funding. She certainly has many impressive accomplishments. Unfortunately, she will always be remembered for her unwavering support for preferential treatment and discrimination based on race.

On November 7, 2006, Michigan voters overwhelming passed the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, a constitutional amendment ending consideration of race or gender in public education, employment and contracting. The next day, President Coleman gave a fiery speech condemning the results and ordering the school’s legal counsel to consider every option available to bypass or overturn the will of the people.

Her impassioned post-election call to arms led directly to the Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action lawsuit now pending before the US Supreme Court, a case in which the radical group By Any Means Necessary has argued that requiring equal treatment for all individuals violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court is expected to uphold the will of Michigan voters when it rules on this case in the coming months.

Despite the fact that 58 percent voted to affirm the simple idea of equal treatment under the law, President Coleman and many others have clung to “diversity” as an excuse for treating people differently based on the color of their skin. (Many are still trying to find where the Fourteenth Amendment provides an equal protection opt-out for the pursuit of “diversity”.)

Mary Sue Coleman has done everything in her power to undermine restrictions on race and gender preferences in college admissions and other public institutions. While other universities faced with similar race preference bans have embraced a wide range of race-neutral alternatives to promote diversity on campus, the University of Michigan has only pursued these options halfheartedly. For a university so vocally committed to diversity and equality, it has been surprisingly unwilling to end the practice of legacy preferences in admissions.

Every step of the way, the University has opposed the right of individuals to be treated equally and encouraged student groups to protest for racial policies. The ultimatum from the Black Student Union and the threat of “physical action” was the fruit of tireless efforts to promote exactly this kind of race-based, bullying behavior.

The BSU has called for more money for racially-segregated clubs, a racial quota system for admissions, special treatment for housing, and scholarships that exclude other ethnicities. Ms. Coleman’s past indicates that she probably supports these demands. Perhaps if they were less plainly illegal and impracticable, she would have adopted some of them. Instead, she orchestrated a formal sit-down with the group.

Treating people differently simply based on the color of their skin is wrong, and it undermines MLK’s vision for a colorblind society. Stirring up campus groups to issue extreme racial demands, ultimatums and veiled threats is divisive and just irresponsible.

Despite her many accomplishments, Mary Sue Coleman’s record on diversity and discrimination leaves her legacy with a bad taste. Let’s hope the incoming president decides to pursue a course in line with the state and US constitutions by embracing the value of true equality – where each person is treated as a unique individual, not as a quota or “diversity” token.

Jennifer Gratz is the founder and CEO of the XIV Foundation, named after the 14th Amendment, to defend the principle of equal treatment and a colorblind society. She's also one of two people who in 2003 sued the University of Michigan over Affirmative Action.